The United Nations e-discussion on youth employment held from 11 October to 7 November received approximately 1,100 comments from young people around the world.

Their contributions addressed various aspects of overcoming challenges to finding decent work, better aligning educational systems and skills development with labour market needs, as well as the social implications of employment trends on the lives of young people.

Many young people shared common key employment concerns. Participants questioned the quality of education they and their peers receive: whether or not it is relevant to available jobs, how their knowledge and skills will serve them in the long-term, and the extent to which decision-makers are committed to needed investment in the potential of young people. They are frustrated by high rates of unemployment, which is causing many youth to rely on volunteerism in order to gain experience, and even affecting students who are unable to find part-time work to help support their studies. Young women in particular confront barriers to employment, including job segregation and salary discrimination. When young people do obtain jobs, they often involve poor wages as well as working conditions, including long hours, insecurity and a lack of health and other benefits, which do not allow them to be independent and provide for family. Moreover, although some young people shared positive views of accessing job opportunities through migration, many reported growing concern that in order to secure even low-level jobs, they would have to leave their homes and families.

Throughout the progression of the four-week e-discussion, young people’s comments reflected the full spectrum of negative and positive outlooks. They exhibited considerable energy and enthusiasm not only by focusing on obstacles to full and decent employment, but also by using the platform as a motivational space to encourage others and share good practices and success stories on how to go about securing productive and decent work. Although some participants expressed little or no optimism regarding the state of youth employment, several seemed to succeed in inspiring hope in others.

Chapter II revealed that young people view many higher educational systems and institutions as inadequately tailored to the actual dynamic needs of the labour market. They reported that formal education curricula are often overly theoretical, leaving students feeling ill-prepared and lacking the necessary practical skills for the labour force. Some students consequently delay their entry into the job market to continue their studies or seek out low-level jobs. More and better linkages are therefore needed between learning institutions and employers. Young people further pointed out a gap in quality between private and public educational institutions that provides graduates of private schools with a competitive advantage in the labour market.

Young people shared more positive views of non-formal education, which they believe can both complement formal education with important distinct skills and also serve as an important resource for youth without access to formal education. Participants further attached value to vocational education as a means for job preparedness, though found inadequate opportunities to access it and expressed concern about how likely it is to lead to decent work. On the whole, young people additionally felt that internships and volunteerism offer opportunities to develop life skills and improve employment prospects, including in entrepreneurship.

Chapter II highlighted two key messages for young people’s job preparedness. The first was that leadership qualities must be developed among youth not only to foster empowerment, but also to fuel innovative solutions to youth employment challenges. The second was the need to encourage young people to be proactive in pursuing their livelihood aspirations.

Chapter III revealed that young people are finding and making use of a range of tools, where available, to help them find jobs, with formal and informal business and social network proving to be the most valuable sources of career information and guidance. The majority of participants were either unemployed, still completing their educational programmes, performing unpaid or part-time work, working on short-term contracts or in “small jobs,” or engaged in several of these activities. Amidst widespread unemployment and in order to gain work experience, some are either engaged in internship programmes or volunteer positions. A point that emerged strongly from the e-discussion was that young people prefer to be active rather than to “sit around”; they bear the conditions of underemployment in the belief that their perseverance, experience and enthusiasm will be rewarded in the future.

Participants identified emerging opportunities for youth employment in new types of jobs in the fields of information and communication technologies (ITCs), social networking and environmental sustainability (“green jobs”). Many young people reported that their ideal job is to work in – or to create – green jobs for the future. There was no clear consensus as to whether globalization (as represented by such factors as use of ICTs or working abroad, etc.) is, in general, favorable or not, as participants recognized both advantages and disadvantages. However, there was broad agreement that self-motivation, dedication, patience and a positive outlook are key elements of successful job searching.

Chapter IV underscored that a decent job is a marker of adulthood, independence and active citizenship. Yet the lack of decent jobs today is hindering this period of transition for young people and their future economic participation. Young people shared their concerns about gaps in access to decent work, particularly amidst the economic crisis. Participants expressed worries related to job insecurity, citing the prevalence of short-term contracts; low wages, amidst rising costs of living; difficulties in obtaining adequate practical work experience, with some youth calling for such requirements in educational institutions; few opportunities for workplace advancement; debts, including student loans; and family well-being.

Young people identified the creation of small- and medium-sized enterprises as an important and effective means to overcome high unemployment rates and poor working conditions. In fact, the majority of participants noted a growing number of young entrepreneurs starting their own businesses – some out of choice and others due to a lack of other employment options – with many examples of success and promise, including in social entrepreneurship. However, young people also noted that practical information and guidance on entrepreneurial initiatives as well as financing opportunities are often difficult for them to access.

Chapter IV asserted that, despite the current youth employment challenge, most young people are makers rather than breakers. Although many youth conveyed a lack of confidence in their futures, there remains – nonetheless – hope.

Societies cannot afford to neglect young people and their skills, knowledge, energy and potential. They cannot expect young people to study hard and word hard as the traditional means to decent work and success, amidst diminishing evidence of its effectiveness. Young people require financial and social investments to fulfill their potential, to transition into adulthood and to be active and engaged citizens. Decent jobs not only contribute to young people’s lifetime employment success, they have a proven multiplier effect on family well-being, the health of national economies and societies at large.

We thank Navjot K. for sharing these concluding words on behalf of youth: “We want to make a difference. We want a chance to work. We want to prove ourselves.”

***

Recommendations:

[These are reproduced from each week’s/chapter’s Vote Corner: click to open the results/recommendations]

Based on the conclusions the main recommendations are…

[From Chapter II]

In addition to the above, several other recommendations were proposed. Most notably:

•The majority agreed there is a need to improve the quality of education and to make it accessible to all young people. This requires tailoring curricula more effectively to the labour market, including through the development of practical skills (proposed by Muhamad, 20, with the Asian Law Students Association).

•Mechanisms should be put in place by Governments in partnership with the private sector; so that institutions are supporting internships and vocational training at scale and in a broad range of disciplines.

•Vocational training, apprenticeships and non-formal education should be more widely recognized by employers as valuable components of a rounded education, which in turn would increase candidates’ employment credentials and contribute towards a more stable labour market.

•All Governments should provide spaces for young people to share their views and discuss the issues they face with regard to education and employment (Yasmyn, 24, from Guadeloupe).

•Governments and the private sector should ensure that information is widely available to all segments of the youth population and support those social groups which experience the most difficulties in accessing and completing education, such as young people living in extreme poverty and in rural locations, young women and youth with disabilities.

•Yanira, 29, from Mexico suggested the following:

“1.) I recommend that before graduating from university, the Government should assist with internship programmes at prestigious companies, whereby youth can acquire responsibilities and increase their competitive qualities.

2.) According to the labour market, the Government should create a fund to train young leaders in all of the main national educational institutions. They would promote the scheme internationally as well.

3.) Design a strategy between Governments and students, in which young people demonstrate their capabilities through community service, applying their knowledge in other countries, and empowering them to develop their team skills – preparing them for a working life.”

***

[From Chapter III]

Joe, 24, from the United Kingdom, who has never been unemployed, explained how he had spent months working to help his friends find jobs: by improving their CVs, giving interview advice and organizing interviews. Four of his friends have now secured jobs. He stated: “Your friends with jobs have knowledge about the process. Get that knowledge. If you have a job, share your knowledge with others.”

***

[From Chapter IV]

Vote corner 5) If you were the Chief Executive of a large foundation, where would you spend your money in order to increase and improve youth employment, both within and beyond your organization?

•Shruti, 24, from Mumbai, India, said that if she was a Chief Executive, she would invest within her organization “in building youth ambassadors…who have been-there-done-that and can prove a good role model for the students/youth outside my organization. [Each of] these youth ambassadors would be responsible for mentoring at least one underprivileged young person.”

•Karuna, 23, also from India said that she would create a paid internship programme for fresh graduates within her organization. “Paid internships can help with both a decent income and experience. Outside the organization, I would promote corporate social responsibility strategies and create capacity-building and skills development courses and workshops for young people.”

Several of the other recommendations included:

•Invest in social businesses led by and focused on employing young people

•Invest money in improving community relations and employment opportunities for young graduates

•Provide field-specific scholarships for college and university students

•Invest in a strong internship programme that would recruit new graduates to work for my company for an extended period of time; for example, the Ontario government has a highly selective and popular two-year internship programme, after which young people get to work with Ontario Ministries (Canada)

•Create a pool of funds to invest in young entrepreneurs

•Align scholarship opportunities to communities; decentralize opportunities to universities or private businesses and allow them to select the candidates

•Invest in information and communication technologies and provide leadership opportunities to young people through trainings in the private and non-profit sectors

Design features:

Include a widget of IYY facebook and twitter pages, i.e. live rolling comments.

Resources available on the side of the page:

•Information on youth participation in creating national action plans from “Review of national action plans on youth employment: putting commitment into action” (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2007):

“In some countries efforts are underway to create ‘a space at the table’ for youth participation in the decision-making processes through formal mechanisms such as youth advisory groups or the creation of a youth ‘seat’ in national coordinating structures designing and implementing [national action plans] NAPs. It is evident that some Governments are meeting their commitment to involve youth in the development of National Action Plans, but significantly more effort must be made not only to promote youth employment as a central development issue for Member States, but also to ensure the active involvement of youth and youth organizations in policy development at all levels” (p. 23).

•For a country case study on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (Youth Employment Network):

“[The Youth Employment Network] YEN-DRC and YWCA continued to lobby the government for accession to the YEN. On May 22, 2005, our cries were finally heard when the President signed a letter to the UN Secretary-General requesting our country to become a YEN Lead Country.

Since that time I have been heavily involved in the drafting of DRC’s [National Action Plan] NAP on Youth Employment including the coordination of the Youth Consultative Group. The Youth Consultative Group is responsible for youth inputs on the NAP development process alongside the Government, [the United Nations Development Programme] UNDP and [the International Labour Organization] ILO.”

]]>general@unworldyouthreport.org (UN Focal Point on Youth)Conclusions & RecommendationsSat, 31 Dec 2011 23:42:26 +0000Growing Gaps in Decent Work for Young People in the Aftermath of the Global Economic Crisishttp://www.unworldyouthreport.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=62:growing-gaps-in-decent-work-for-young-people-in-the-aftermath-of-the-global&Itemid=122
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Across regions, young people are disproportionately affected by unemployment, underemployment, vulnerable employment and working poverty. Even during periods of economic growth, many economies have been unable to absorb large youth populations into the labour market. In recent years, however, the global financial and economic crisis has further hit young people particularly hard in the developed world.

World-wide, rates of young people’s participation in the labour force have been in decline. Between 1998 and 2008, the youth labour force participation rate fell from 54.7 to 50.8 per cent (International Labour Organization, 2010, p. 3). In 2009, against a total global unemployment rate of 6.3 per cent (International Labour Organization, 2011a, p. 12), the global youth unemployment rate peaked at 12.7 per cent, representing 75.8 million unemployed youth, marking the largest annual increase over the 20 years of available global estimates (International Labour Organization, 2011b, p. 4). Youth unemployment rates are significantly higher than adult rates in all geographic regions, though with considerable variation. In 2010, the global youth unemployment rate remained at 12.6 per cent (despite a marginal reduction in the absolute number of job-seeking youth), dramatically overshadowing the global adult unemployment rate of 4.8 per cent (International Labour Organization, 2011a and United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2011). Declines in youth labour force participation rates may indicate that young people are instead engaged in full-time schooling or training. However, in parallel with recent high unemployment rates, they more likely suggest that many young people have stopped looking for work, and that, were they to continue to seek work, actual unemployment rates would rise even further.

There are several reasons for this. During economic downturns, young people are often the “last in” and the “first out” – the last to be hired, and the first to be dismissed. Young workers have less work experience than older workers, which is highly valued by employers. This issue has particularly severe implications for the school to work transition, the period when young people enter the labour market to look for their first job. Employment is often associated with young people’s entry into adulthood and independence, and is of course vital as a source of income for individuals and families.

Young people often face extended periods of joblessness and many become discouraged. They may stop seeking employment opportunities and decide to drop out of the labour market altogether (at which point they are no longer defined as officially unemployed). Many choose to “hide out” in educational institutions, and others engage in volunteer work. They seek to build knowledge, experience or new skills while they wait for better job opportunities. Some may accept multiple part-time jobs in order to try to piece together an adequate income. Several countries have seen recent increases both in part-time youth employment as well as time-related youth underemployment, which indicates that an individual would like to have more working hours than s/he currently does (International Labour Organization, 2011b, p. 4). In some cases, youth are simply inactive – neither at work or in school. Young people who live in extreme poverty, however, cannot afford to be inactive, go back to school or “hide out”. They simply have to find some way of making a living, often accepting low-paid and poor quality jobs, especially in the informal economy. The challenge is to bring them to the formal sector or to rewarding self-employment.

From 11 to 17 October (Week I) 2011, the United Nations e-discussion on youth employment was open to all to share views and discuss the overall situation of young people in the labour market as well as key trends in youth employment. There were more than 300 comments posted by young people world-wide. Participation was particularly high from the African region.

The e-discussion, which solicited the views of young people aged 15 to 30 as well as those of representatives of youth-led organizations, received comments during week I from young men and women between the ages of 16 and 30. In addition, more than 700 people accessed and viewed the platform during the week.

This chapter provides an overview of the global situation of young people in the labour market together with comments from young people stemming from actual experience and observations. It presents data and analysis of current youth employment-related research and aims to identify and briefly explore youth employment trends and issues across regions with different levels of development. In addition, the chapter provides highlights of views of young people from around the world. In large part, young people’s contributions to the e-discussion align with and corroborate the prevailing research that describes significant challenges to decent work for young people. More importantly, however, their contributions illustrate these challenges on a personal level and capture how they are experienced from the perspective of youth themselves. As will become evident as the chapter progresses, young people have a lot to say on the matter of youth employment which reveals remarkable and valuable insight.

What the research shows: The need to provide more and better jobs for young people exists across countries. However, youth employment challenges tend to differ in developed and developing economies. The developed world has been most significantly affected by youth unemployment spikes due to the global economic crisis, and its core challenge is the provision of work opportunities for young people who are entering the labour market.

Yet the developing countries are home to 87 per cent of the world’s youth, who are often underemployed and working in the informal economy under poor conditions. The core challenge for these countries is to not only generate new employment opportunities for young people, but to also improve the quality of all jobs available to them.

In the Middle East and North Africa, a region which has made progress in educational levels among girls and boys, approximately 25 per cent of young people of working age are unemployed (ibid., p. 10). It is important to note that in low-income economies, young people have limited or no social safety nets on which to fall back, so that few young people can afford to stay out of work. For this reason, the unemployment rate does not capture the full extent of difficulties facing young people in developing economies, where youth are more likely to accept any job.

Youth unemployment has continued to worsen in the developed economies, where rates were higher in 2009 than at any time since measurement began in 1991 (ibid., p. 2). Several countries of the European Union saw record-high rates of youth employment in 2011: 48.9 per cent in Spain and 45.1 per cent Greece (European Commission, 2011). In November 2011, the number of unemployed youth in the United Kingdom reached a record high of 1 million (Allen, 2011). In some of these countries, long-term unemployment rates are far higher among youth than adults. Moreover, in the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 12.6 per cent of the youth population – representing 22.3 million young people – were inactive in the fourth quarter of 2010, neither in jobs nor in education or training, leaving them increasingly vulnerable to exclusion from the labour market (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2011).

A delayed transition from school to work – which may involve a period of unemployment or extended time in school – can have long-term adverse effects. Such a delay leads to erosion of skills, which may result cumulatively in lower life-time earnings. The longer youth remain disconnected, the more difficult it is to support their integration into the labour market. Yet, although temporary and part-time work can help young workers to enter the labour market, they also risk leading to persistent job insecurity. Similarly, a lack of decent work opportunities means that many young people, particularly in developing countries, end up working in low-paid and unsafe jobs which provide no prospects for development.

Young people in all regions are more likely than adults to be unemployed or to work in vulnerable employment. They are at greater risk of earning lower wages in a low-productivity job, working in unsafe or risky conditions, working below their skill or educational level, working long hours or fewer hours than needed, holding a temporary job, having few or no prospects for advancement and/or lacking job stability. Such disadvantages among youth in the work force also mean that many young workers lack bargaining power and are poorly positioned to organize towards improving their situation. Young women are particularly likely to be underemployed and in vulnerable jobs (International Labour Organization, 2010, pp. 17-23).

Despite important gains in education among young women, their employment outcomes continue to lag behind those of young men. Globally, in 2010, 56.3 per cent of young males participated in the labour force, against 40.8 per cent of young females (International Labour Organization, 2011b, p. 10). Where young women do participate in the labour market, they generally confront greater challenges in accessing jobs than do young men, i.e. they face higher unemployment compared to their male counterparts. When employed, they are also more likely to be in traditionally female occupations and unstable, part-time and lower-paid jobs. In several parts of the world, there remain significant gaps between young men’s and young women’s earnings. For instance, the hourly earnings of young women aged 15 to 24 are only 82 per cent and 84 per cent of men’s in sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia and the Pacific, respectively. In some regions, however, young women are closing the wage gap with men faster than are older women due to their expanded access to educational opportunities over the last several years (World Bank, 2010). The recent economic crisis reduced the unemployment gap between young males and young females in most developed regions. In some of these countries, male-dominated industries were harder hit by the crisis (e.g. building construction).

]]>general@unworldyouthreport.org (UN Focal Point on Youth)Chapter One: Employment & YouthThu, 29 Dec 2011 23:32:50 +0000Young People in the Informal Economy and among the Working Poorhttp://www.unworldyouthreport.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=58:young-people-in-the-informal-economy-and-among-the-working-poor&Itemid=125
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Most young workers in developing countries are in the informal economy, which includes unpaid family work to which young people often contribute (International Labour Organization, 2010, p. 3). Work in the informal economy does not provide access to entitlements such as health insurance, social security and other social protection measures.

Workers tend to lack job and income stability such that any misfortune, for example, poor health or a natural disaster, can quickly lead to unemployment and falling into – or deeper into – poverty. Evidence points to increased rates of participation in the informal economy following the onset of the global economic crisis. An analysis of employment trends in six Latin American countries found that in 2009, up to 82.4 per cent of young people between the ages of 15 and 19 were employed in the informal economy, up from 80.8 per cent in 2007, and compared to 50.2 per cent of adults between the ages of 30 and 64 (International Labour Organization, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2009, p. 52).

Informal employment falls outside the reach of government regulation, and is therefore more susceptible to exploitative conditions. In fact, the period between 2004 and 2008 saw a 20 per cent rise in the number of young people between the ages of 15 and 17 who were engaged in hazardous work – work that is harmful to their health and personal development. In 2008, nearly half of young workers in that age group were in such employment, which affects more than twice as many boys as girls (International Labour Organization, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, 2011, pp. 7-9).

About 152 million young workers live in households that are below the poverty line of the equivalent of US$1.25 per day – comprising 24 per cent of the total working poor (International Labour Organization, 2010, p. 26). Working poverty thus affects approximately twice the number of young people world-wide than does unemployment, despite the alarming rate of youth unemployment. Many of the working poor are engaged in agricultural work in countries and regions where unemployment rates are relatively low, such as in South Asia, East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, yet where there is limited access to social protection. Young workers who are trapped in working poverty – who represent 28.1 per cent of all young workers, globally (ibid.) – may be unable to pursue an education that could offer them better quality employment opportunities in the future. Without such opportunities, prospects for a better life for them and their children remain dim.

Work is central to young people’s well-being. It is, of course, a requirement for income generation, but it is also a key to advancing broader social and economic development. At the individual level, a job has a direct effect on each person’s self-esteem, family life as well as relations with other people.

A badly paid, dangerous job at which workers’ rights are not respected will have a negative effect on personal development and relationships and will fail to contribute to the development continuum.

“The key to solving problems of social exclusion and poverty is employment…employment is the source of social inclusion in all sorts of ways, providing not just income, but security, self realization and self esteem for workers who are organized and represented”(International Labour Organization, Communication and Public Information,2000); such is the meaning of “decent work.”This statement, made by Juan Somavia, the International Labour Organization’s Director-General, to the Group of Eight Labour Ministers at a Conference in 2000, is even more pertinent today than 11 years ago.

Decent and productive work is thus at the centre of youth transitions into capable adulthood. The clear message from young participants on the e-discussion platform during week IV was this: job conditions for young people are difficult due to the economic crisis and, as Hasan from the Maldives said, “political chaos makes it hard for youth to be independent and live their dreams!” A lack of meaningful job opportunities (for growing youth populations) is contributing towards stagnation in the transition from youth to adulthood. For many cultures and young people, having a decent job is one significant marker towards becoming an adult.

Sadly, much of the critique of the perception of youth in Africa as “Makers and Breakers”(in a seminal book by the same name ) remains pertinent today. What is more, this dualistic view of young people as both innovators and destroyers is not just symptomatic in Africa (although it has particular post-colonial dimensions there), but it is widespread throughout the world. For youth, it has meant that opportunities to engage in meaningful discussion with policymakers, and to have a voice in decision-making, have been few and far between.

There are many examples of promising current work in the field of youth policy and practice on job creation and decent work, such as the work by Youth Business International (YBI), Ashoka Youth Venture, Spark, the Youth to Youth Fund and Edgeryders (a European Union-funded initiative), to name a few. Furthermore, various United Nations entities, including the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are all engaged in important work on youth development in general, with a major focus on employment, in close collaboration with other United Nations entities as well as youth-led organizations.

Challenges remain, however, especially real inclusivity and scale. But more than that, how we perceive new ways of working and living must be confronted collaboratively – through youth-adult partnerships and open minds. One such example on new ways of living and working was broadcast on the BBC World Service in November 2011: “The Great Reset.” This programme addressed the view thatopportunity, creativity and innovation arise from great economic crashes/depressions. Indeed, a comforting perspective in times of great changes.

From 1 to 7 November 2011, week IV, the e-discussion platform was open to all to discuss their experiences at work. The e-discussion invited the views of young people aged 15 to 30 , as well as representatives of youth-led organizations. More than 180 comments were posted by young people from more than 76 countries across the globe, including Japan, Romania, United Arab Emirates and Jamaica.

There were at least 690 people who accessed and viewed the e-discussion during the week. In addition to the e-discussion platform, there were also postings/uploads onto the United Nations International Year of Youth Facebook page, and a live question and answer Twitter session with United Nations Youth Champion, Monique Coleman, and Special Adviser to the United States Secretary of State on Global Youth Affairs, Ronan Farrow.

This chapter explores the quality and conditions of jobs held by youth, and how young people’s working situation interacts with their family and home lives. While many examples were shared of young people pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors, the overall consensus was that there is a growing frustration: not only with a lack of jobs, but also a lack of engagement. The fact is that many young people need to be both listened to and collaborated with by Governments and the private sector regarding job creation and workers’ rights.Participants were asked, “Have you influenced any educational or employment policy forums? If so, how did you go about this and what were your successes?” The response to this question was a resounding silence. Discussion and debate with constituents on matters that affect them, such as decent work, is a constitutional obligation for many Member States which have adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. But more than that – it is effective policymaking.

]]>general@unworldyouthreport.org (UN Focal Point on Youth)Chapter Four: Youth at WorkThu, 29 Dec 2011 23:12:02 +0000In your country, can you provide any current examples of how young people are approaching – and faring in – entrepreneurial activities?http://www.unworldyouthreport.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=53:in-your-country-can-you-provide-any-current-examples-of-how-young-people-are-approaching-–-and-faring-in-–-entrepreneurial-activities?&Itemid=155
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What young people say:

•Several participants from Europe and Africa commented that they are currently self-employed and running their own businesses. According to Solomon in Ghana, “lots of young graduates are starting their own companies, especially in [information and communication technologies] ICT and are making great strides.” This trend seems to be increasing among urban youth who are graduating from colleges and universities and finding it hard to secure permanent employment. Dirk from the Netherlands told us that, “website development, as well as social businesses in Middle Eastern countries, are creating employment” for young entrepreneurs.

•In the Dominican Republic, Maria painted a complex picture:

“Many of the private universities in the Dominican Republic offer programmes within their curricula through which students receive sponsorship to begin their business. Such new businesses fall into the categories of restaurants, entertainment, retail and technology. Since such youth are exposed to a higher level of education, they are better prepared to approach entrepreneurial activities than youth in the lower-income class.” However, she goes on to say: “for youth in lower income classes…microfinance organizations have been increasing rapidly, and they facilitate the process of borrowing money to these… classes, allowing them to develop their business ideas…many businesses such as small convenience stores, hair salons, drug stores and art shops have been able to develop due to the loans received from microfinance institutions.” Indeed, it is often the young men and women who have left school in order to generate extra income (to help their parents) who run most of these businesses.

On the upside…

•Pooja from India informed us that young people in the tribal area of Chindwara are finding employment through silk production:

“Silk production is a new way for them to be employed. Tribal young farmers are earning a huge amount of money through silk production. The plan was started in villages in the year 2007 and it has changed the lives of farmers. They are getting Rs. 50000-60000 per acre. The Silk Department is providing free plants and financial support to tribal farmers.”

•There is some degree of policy and programme support from Governments:one of the examples quoted by Rachelle, 23, with Taking It Global in Canada is the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, which “offers young entrepreneurs aged 18-34 mentorship, learning resources and start-up financing. Since 2002, the Foundation has helped young Canadians start more than 4,000 businesses and created 18,000 jobs.”

•With regard to policy development, Hira, 22, from Pakistan highlighted the Government of Pakistan’s recent development strategy, the New Growth Strategy. She informed us that:

“This strategy talks about productivity, market reforms, creative cities, connectivity and infrastructure and youth engagement as essential pillars of a new growth model. Youth entrepreneurship is a major pillar in the framework and an implementation plan is currently being developed.”

•Sergio Iriarte Quezada, week I’s moderator and Knowledge Management Officer for the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Programme on Youth Employment, reminded participants this week of the ILO’s Know about Business (KAB) initiative. Sergio informed us that:

“It aims to foster positive attitudes among young people towards enterprise development and self-employment. It also creates awareness of enterprises and self-employment as a career option for young people in secondary and vocational education, and provides knowledge and information to start and operate a successful enterprise. KAB is a training programme for trainers and teachers in vocational education, secondary education and also higher education for young students between ages 15 and 18.”

•According to Evona from Cameroon, “the only way to solve the unemployment problem …is the creation of small and medium enterprises.”

On the downside…

•Several young participants expressed concern about their Government’s commitment to providing opportunities for both rural and urban youth in terms of trainings, education and employment. Indeed, several young people suggested that Governments should act proactively to ensure that young people are given the opportunity to be hired by private companies. Alejandro, 22, from Mexico believes that, “[The United States and] U.S./Mexico can help by facilitating… youth participation [in the job market], because most of the youth are not given the right opportunities to express their skills, knowledge, talents and creative skills.”

•Participants shared the view that there are bottlenecks associated with starting one’s own business. According to Solomon from Ghana, these include “finances, office space, and tax requirements, which should be addressed proactively. If this is done, a lot more young men and women will strive to be innovative and generate incomes for themselves!” Other challenges experienced were limited access to information, funding and support from donor agencies, international development organizations, Governments and academic institutions.

•Ayshah, 26, from Kenya was keen to tell us that many young people are embracing the issue of self-employability and entrepreneurship, but:

“The major issue is lack of capital to expand their business or even start their business due to high interest rates offered by the banks here in Kenya. As far as microfinance is concerned, the intake of loans by young people is low compared to adults, [who] repay their loans more quickly than young people, despite…the Government’s… youth fund. …the terms and conditions [associated with the fund] scare us away - like collateral. Surely, where else – but from our parents – can we get [collateral]?”

]]>general@unworldyouthreport.org (UN Focal Point on Youth)Chapter Four: Youth at WorkThu, 29 Dec 2011 23:12:02 +0000In your view, when it comes to gaps in decent work for young people, what are some of the major issues facing them - is it working conditions, worker rights and/or income concerns, or perhaps something else?http://www.unworldyouthreport.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=52:in-your-view-when-it-comes-to-gaps-in-decent-work-for-young-people-what-are-some-of-the-major-issues-facing-them-is-it-working-conditions-worker-rights-and-or-income-concerns-or-perhaps-something-else?&Itemid=156
http://www.unworldyouthreport.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=52:in-your-view-when-it-comes-to-gaps-in-decent-work-for-young-people-what-are-some-of-the-major-issues-facing-them-is-it-working-conditions-worker-rights-and-or-income-concerns-or-perhaps-something-else?&Itemid=156

What young people say:

•The clear message from young participants was this: job conditions for young people are difficult due to the economic crisis and, as Hasan from the Maldives said, “political chaos makes it hard for youth to be independent and live their dreams!” One of the main concerns that Rachelle, 23, from Canada highlighted was, “for young graduates coming out of university or college, …the large amount of debt due to student loans. While they are eager to enter the workforce, concerns of paying off their debts may force them to take on jobs that are either outside of their field or do not pay as much as they should.” In addition, participants also pointed towards the lack of information and resources available for young people about starting up businesses/organizations, including information on business development loan schemes.

•Ayshah, 26, from Kenya raised these concerns:

“Young people work tirelessly and the pay they get for their work is little compared to those permanently employed. These days, many organizations and institutions are using internships to fill gaps that are void, thus saving resources.

Very few young people are satisfied with their careers because of high competition and lack of suitable jobs in the country.”

•Maria from the Dominican Republic, believed that:

“Income concerns are what create one of the major gaps in youth employment in the Dominican Republic. Since the economic condition of the country remains unstable, young men and women worry about the salary they will receive when they start working, and mostly, will this be enough for them to sustain themselves. According to the Labour Ministry and different labour unions, the minimum wage is set in three stages, ranging between approximately US$150 to US$350, which is not enough to cover the basic needs of a household. A large number of the youth in the Dominican Republic have to use their income either to cover their expenses or to partially pay for their education. It is worthy of mention that most youth enter the job industry in the middle years of their education in order to be able to pay for it. Dominican youth are worried about being able to grow economically in the country, and also worried about how they will be able to keep up with the country’s high cost of living.”

•Enock, 28, from Uganda is currently working as a volunteer with the Uganda Red Cross as a peer educator. He is unpaid, but he does believe that his efforts have helped him “learn new skills and make new friends.” He has been given on-the-job training, which is enhancing his skills and enabling him to take on more responsibilities.

•For Maria from the Dominican Republic, most of her work experiences have been in her area of interest – marketing and public relations. Although she has not secured a long-term job, she says “internship experiences have allowed me to observe and learn about the opportunities in the market.” Currently, Maria works for the non-profit sector, conducting marketing through social media, and she believes there are many opportunities in this sector for young people.

•Rachelle, 23, from Canada is working part-time as a publicist/marketing lead for a mobile advertising company and interning as a communications coordinator at a Toronto non-profit organization. According to her, she has “learnt a lot from these two positions and… been given ample opportunity to take on more responsibilities. While the wages aren't the best, I am ready to take pay cuts since I don’t have responsibilities such as family or mortgage, etc.” Rachelle has received on-the-job training, which has enhanced her skill set, and she tells us her “work in both jobs has been recognized on a regular basis.”

On the downside…

•Erasmus, 23, from Zambia said that his current job does not provide any opportunities for advancement because it is in the informal sector. He cannot advance in his position, “because the money I get is minimal, and with that money I can hardly save up for college education.” He went on to say that, “the management in the office does not listen to my ideas because of my lesser experience and qualifications as compared to the permanent staff in the office.”